The chronicles of a foreigner 1
by zerodyne
Summary: It doesn't happen often that one wakes up in another world. Especially a world that you thought was just a video game that you played in your free time. I know it might sound far-fetched and made up but I assure you, these journals will show you my story and of the many people I have met since waking in the world of Tamriel. (POSSIBLE SPOILERS!) -part 1 of an ongoing series-
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Day 1**

The ground felt cold against my bare skin. Dust and the smell of blood filled my lungs and senses as I tried to open my eyes. I could hear people arguing and yelling as I tried to keep myself calm.

"You fool! What is this?! This is no Daedra! This is no tool we can use!" There was a higher pitched voice screaming. It sounded like a women yelling at others. What was going on? Why couldn't I move?

"W-we don't know if we could use it! We don't know what it is! Maybe there's more to it than what it looks like!" A gruff voice was arguing back but his voice was shaky. Why was this happening? My body began to shake as the air cut through me like a knife. I was naked?! How? Why? These questions kept going through my mind as the voices kept raising and I was still unable to open my eyes.

"This is a waste of time. We should just kill it and keep trying." Another voice cut in. He sounded like a teacher scolding children. Wait, kill it? Where they talking about me?!

"We're not killing it. Not ourselves anyway, our blood bound it to this plain and we can't be the ones to remove it. No, we'll leave it here and find another alter to perform the ritual again. Come." The women who I had first heard yelling must have began to leave after those last words as others began to move some things around the area then shuffle away.

It had been some time before I was able to move even a little. I still couldn't open my eyes but could feel the area around me. I was on top of some kind of stone table, why my eyes wouldn't open was frustrating me to no was going on? Where was I and why was this happening? As more and more of my body became less numb I was able to slowly open my eyes. The large room I was in looked like a tomb. The rows of what I could assume where bodies had been wrapped in some kind of cloth, only illuminated by the candles on the nearby tables. It looked as though the tables and stools had recently been set up there as there was less dirt on them than the rest of the room. The room was made out of stone and the only exit there seemed to be was the large double doors that where closed just maybe fifty feet awawy from where I was.

After I had finished taking in the area around me I realized just how cold I was. Before I could do anything I needed to find some way to cloth myself. Luckily there looked to be a few blankets or furs piled in a corner near one of the tables. It took me a long while to drag myself off the stone table and onto the floor to be able to get to the pile but I was able to manage it with just a few bruises.

"Okay. Okay." I whispered to myself as I tried to get a hold on the situation. I woke up in some strange place, with no clothes and no knowledge of where I was. What had I been doing before this? I Think I had just gotten home from work, I had played some games then hoped in the shower. Was that why I was naked? "Dammit!" I tried to yell but it ended up becoming a groan as my voice gave out. I needed something to drink. My stomach also felt empty.

After staying wrapped in the furs I did all I could to support myself with one of the tables to hoist up to my feet. Again, I lucked out and there was some kind of bread and drink on the table. The drink was in some kind of leather, maybe an animal skin like in olden times? I couldn't tell but waited little time in downing what liquid was in there, just water. Then after munching on the bread, my gaze shifted to a book near the tale I had been lying on. I must have knocked it off when I had crawled off of it. Taking a few shaky steps I reached down and picked it up. The symbol on the book made me drop it imediately. "No...no way." My mind reeled. There was no possible way this was real. It had to be some dream. Maybe I had been playing too long. I had only recently gotten the game just a few months ago but I had become addicted to it immediately. On top of the purple leather bound book was the symbol of oblivion. Somehow I had woken up in the world of Tamriel.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Day 3**

The cold and rocky land lay before me as I looked out from the ruined tower. I must have spent two or three days in those ruins. After I stopped panicing and trying to convince myself this was just a dream, I did what I could to try and survive. I looked around in bags, pots, sleeping cots to try and find things I could use. I was able to find a satchel with a blank journal, some amount of food, a few gold pieces, and a small stream of drinkable water to fill the leather pouch I had originally found. After getting everything together I was able take some time to gather my thoughts. By that I mean cry until I was exhausted then sleep. Yes, a young man of 22 cried himself to sleep. It happens.

It took me another whole day to make sense of the map that those "mages" had lying on a table. After coming to the conclusion that it was Skyrim and that the area they had circled was where I was at. I packed it up and began looking for a way out. They had bared the large doubles doors that I assumed would lead me out. The only other option I could think of was that there must have been a switch or something that would lead to a quick route to the entrance. The game always had something like that. I knew it would be rediculous to think of this world like the game but I had nothing to compare it to and my mind wasn't exactly all there.

After looking for what seemed like hours. I finally saw a small handle switch near a curious looking pattern in the wall. It took me a while to figure out how to pull it out and turn the handle correctly as I couldn't really remember how it had been done but I had managed to pull it off. After a few loud clicks the wall before me moved up and opened to a passageway that I could feel cold air coming through. Luckily for me there had been a spare set of clothes and warm fur boots that had been in a bag. The clothes resembled that of a monk though. Long brown robe with a lightly tanned scarf and hood. But it was the best I had for the moment and I needed to keep warm. I packed away one of the smaller furs in the satchel and made my way down the passageway. A few steps into it however I realized something very important. I was unarmed! If I remembered anything about the world of Tamriel it's that there is always some kind of danger lurking in the shadows.

It took some digging around but I was able to find a decent looking dagger, steel if I could remember from the craftsmanship and the comparison to the game. It was a little short but it would have to do as I didn't have much choice. I also decided to bring along the book that had been on the table with me when I first awoke. Maybe if I read it I might be able to find a way back home.

With everything finally packed up I made my way down the passage. It took some time to find the exit but I knew I was close as large gusts of cold air were coming through a large opening.

It took most of the night for me to make it down the side of the mountain. According to the map, I was just past the border of Skyrim. It was still night and I knew that traveling on the roads at this time would only be asking to be killed and robbed. I found some large rocks close to the mountain and settled in between them. It sheltered me from the wind and I could be able to stay warm until the sun came up. My mind was filled with dark possibilities as I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. I would need all the rest I could get before I attempted to find a village.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Day 7**

It has been a few days since I sat down to write about my time here. I had made my way to a small village. It looks to be Riverwood from what I can remember of the game. I booked a room with gold to spare as tavern rooms where cheap. The man called this the Sleeping Giant Inn. I knew for a fact then that this place was Riverwood as this is where Delphine the Blade made her base of operations. I hadn't seen her anywhere though so I wondered exactly when in time I was, as the people here did look familiar. So that meant I was at least close to the time of the Dragonborn.

I had been lucky enough to find some gold pieces in the area I had woken up in. But it now it seems that I am running low due to staying at the Sleeping Giant inn. I also was running out of food so instead of keeping to myself and staying in the room. I ventured out into the large area of the inn.

"I'm looking for work. Is there anything around here I can do?" I asked the innkeeper. I thought it would be a good idea to think of lines from the game, as most of them didn't seem too rude to use. But I also had to try and get it into my head that this was not the game and it was now reality for me. I would have to interact with people more politely than I would with the people back in my world. You never know when someone might be ready to put a knife in your back.

"Let me think." The gruff looking nord pondered as he scratched his chin. "I can think of a few things that can be done around here. I know Alvor the blacksmith was looking for an apprentice. We could always use more firewood here if you want some quick gold. I also think that the guards are looking for fresh recruits."

"What do I get for firewood?" I asked. I knew it would be harder work to split the logs in real life than in the game but it seemed like that would get me a fair amount of gold in a short time. I was low on food and water and the prices at the inn just went up.

"I'd pay you about five gold per log." He said while folding his arms.

"Sounds fair enough for me. Is there an ax out there I can use?"

"Yes. Out by the log piles in the back." After saying I'll be back I went outside and shielded myself from the sunlight. It had been almost two days that I had last gone outside. I had stumbled into town and quickly rented at the inn. I had wanted to just stay holed up in my room, denying that this was happening. Sadly the need for food and gold to keep the room led me back to my new reality.

It took a few minutes with stumbling in the robes and trying to get behind the inn to the woodpile but I managed to get the ax and start chopping. It was much harder than I had first anticipated.

It was two hours of pain to get the firewood. It took me a long time to not miss the log I was trying to split and there had been a few times when I almost swung the ax down on myself. Don't ask me how, I'm not really sure exactly.

I practically dragged myself back into the inn with the amount of wood I had cut. After taking two trips to bring in the measly amount I had been able to cut, I showed the innkeeper what I had done.

"Hm. Took you that long to chop so few? Not cut out for physical labor are you?" The man laughed as he counted out the pile. I just groaned in response as my arms felt like they weighed a ton. Though the sun was still high in the sky I knew that once he paid me I would go to my room and call it a day.

"Looks like twelve. Sixty gold sounds right." I did the math in my head as he went over to the counter and began to count the coins into a small pouch. It sounded right for five gold a log.

"Just keep ten of those for my room tonight." I mentioned as he was finishing counting. He sighed as he had already counted them then took the payment.

With the sun still in the sky, I closed my door and collapsed onto the bed to sleep. This day was not exciting in any way but I was okay with that. This was life after all and not just some game. I needed to figure things out and try to find my way back home. My body was not cut out for this kind of labor as I had come from an age of cell phones and laptops. I closed my eyes in hopes that the answer might just come to me in a dream.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Day 11**

"Damn. Too much mead." I groaned as I woke to the sound of laughter and song. "Did I really sleep all day?" I couldn't believe how much they had made me drink the night before. I had never drank mead before and said as such when I finished chopping more wood. The innkeeper and two other patrons began to laugh then they all offered to pay for me to try. More than just trying it actually. Rolling over I noticed a note on the bedside shelf.

"Last night was a riot. Your room is paid for tonight as well as the drinks from last night. –Orgnar" The innkeeper's name must be Orgnar, I thought to myself with a smile. The details of the other night where hazy but it doesn't seem like I gave anything away about my world or how I came here. My head felt like it was going to split open as I sat up and stared at the closed door that lead to the larger area of the inn. People where laughing and I could hear mugs being banged together in celebration. It was either the town getting together or a group of travelers that had stopped by for the night. Either way the noise made my headache all the worse. After getting out of bed I decided it would be best to try and get some air. I donned my robes and hid my dagger in a sheathe I had obtained from the blacksmith. I asked him to specifically make it so I could put it on my wrist and conceal it within my robes.

It took me some stumbling but I was able to make it out my room, say thank you to Orgnar and get past the celebrating groups of people. They looked to be imperial soldiers, celebrating a victory perhaps? There was no way of telling, as I had heard nothing about the civil war since coming to the inn. "I haven't really been here that long though." I muttered to myself as the cold night air hit me hard in the face. The town felt quiet as everyone was either in their homes or at the inn. It must be the tenth day since I woke up here? It seems like I have started to get a little rhythm going. These past two days anyway. If I can keep this up, maybe even become an apprentice at the blacksmith, I could save up enough money then maybe head to a larger city and buy a house? If I was within stronger walls and more guards then I would feel much safer.

It was then that I noticed the torches from the southern road. There seemed to be over a dozen. More imperials perhaps? It was hard to tell from the distance they where at. I stood there and stared at them for a while as I was trying to think of why so many people where together. A caravan perhaps or a group of traders who hired guards? After a few minutes I noticed something wrong. I barged inside and slammed open the door. All those who where drinking and celebrating stopped to stare at me. Some looked more annoyed that their drinking had been interrupted than anything. "Bandits! A group of them coming from the Southern Road!" I yelled as panic coursed through me. Why now, already there's too much going on and I'm once again at high risk of losing my life.

The soldiers drew their blades. Some stumbled out into the darkness others more nimble on their feet as they charged down the road towards the torches. Some of the guards from the southern camp must have seen what was going on and had already begun fighting the group of bandits by the time the imperials had gotten their. I stayed back at the inn and waited over by the innkeeper. My head was killing me, my heart was pounding so hard it might come out of my chest, and I felt like I was on the verge of peeing myself. I had been frightened all the time while I was on the road but now I could see and hear the threat just a little ways away from me. Swords clashed, people screamed, and people ran about outside of the inn. The innkeeper had his hands on the mace just below his counter and my own hands where close together in case I needed to draw my knife. The minutes it took for the battle to end seemed like hours to me as I eyed the doorway.

When an imperial soldier came through the doorway I practically wet myself right there, but luckily I didn't.

"It's over now. We killed em." He said with a slight smile. But his facial expression changed as he held his side. Orgnar rushed over the supported the man. "I'm okay. Just got grazed is all." His face showed his pain but it also gave away that he was still drunk. The wound could be much worse as he wouldn't have felt it at first! I went over and helped Orgnar guide the man to the nearby table and set him down. Others began to file in. Some wounded and others just a little banged up. I did what I could to help get others to sit down and help Orgnar find cloth to bandage the wounds. Other people began to file in to help the soldiers and guards that survived.

"P-please give us a blessing." A young looking soldier begged. It was the first time anyone had really thought of me as a priest as I hadn't tried to portray myself as one.

"Erm. Well." I knew from experience with the games that the nine divines and the daedric princes pay close attention to the acts of mortals so I wondered if I would be punished for impersonating a priest. But the look in the young man's eyes where pleading. These people believed heavily in their gods and I would have to do the same in order to ask for a blessing for these men. I gathered up my courage and raised a hand to the young man. "I ask Akatosh and the Nine Divines to bless these men. To give them strength and guidance in the times to come and to help heal their wounds." As I spoke I felt something within me. My body felt warm and power flowed from my hand and out towards the man and the inn itself.

"Your prayer has been heard" I could have sworn I heard a voice in my head. It felt deep and menacing but at the same time gentle and comforting. It was a difficult thing to describe.

The young man smiled and thanked me as he leaned against the nearby wall and slumped down to a sitting position. The other soldiers seemed to also feel at peace as their wounds where being bandaged.

It took me a minute to calm myself down from everything that had just happened. I sat at an empty table and sighed heavily. I just successfully did a blessing? I'm no priest! Why would they answer my prayer? What was going on here? I still had no answers to how I had come here and what I was supposed to do to get home!

Due to the hangover my head felt like it was going to split open on top of the stress of the situation. I did what I could to help the others with the wounded then closed myself in my room. I was confused, exhausted, and in a lot of pain. I only hoped that the initial danger had passed outside as I undress and crawl underneath the furs on the bed. Why was all this happening to me? More questions just popped up by the day as I tried to live in this new reality.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Day 15**

A few days passed and things started to slow down a little after the bandit raid. The Southern road had been cleaned of the bodies and the dead had been buried in a new cemetery nearby. Though it wasn't pleasant I helped in the burials and gathering of the bodies. I had vomited a few times, as I had never seen a body cut apart before. The games and movies I had seen never could have prepared me for what I saw. I did the honors of saying the last right for the dead and felt the same power of the blessing that I did the night of the bandit raid. It was strange, calling upon the Nine Divines to bless and guide the souls of the dead. I never pictured myself as the religious type but I was starting to feel a calling here.

It was midday when I realized I was running low on gold again. My stomach growled as I dug into my coin purse for a few gold pieces to buy some food at the inn.

"Don't worry about it. Your foods on me today." The young soldier from before came up and put some gold on the counter.

"Oh. You don't have to." I said with a smile. It was good to see him up and moving again. I found out that he was younger than I was and joined the imperial army in hopes of ending the war that took his uncle from him. But he had never seen death nor killed a man until that night. He had been in a dark state of mind the last couple days but today it seemed that he was doing well.

"No please. I insist." He urged and bought himself some food as well. Bread, roasted rabbit, and water was brought before us. I dug right in to the food as it was brought, hunger getting the better of me. I hadn't eaten since the night before and even then it had only been some bread to settle my stomach from vomiting.

After finishing the meal and downing the water I sighed and leaned back in my chair.

"Thank you. I needed that."

"You're welcome. I'm glad I was able to repay you even a little for the kindness you have shown us." He seemed very serious for one so young. It may have been from losing family or just the rough upbringing that must come with being born in Skyrim. "So you are a priest of Akatosh? It must be nice to have the support of the dragon god of time." I remembered that Akatosh was the head of the Nine Divines and he had been mentioned to be the dragon god of time n the books that where available in the game.

"To be honest. I just recently found my faith in the Nine Divines. I had been lost for a long while." I thought that telling the truth would be better than lying, as it seemed that Akatosh had an eye on me. Or he must have noticed me at least for him to accept and answer my prayers.

"Recently found or not. I'm thankful for the blessing of Akatosh. Though the other men in the detachment might not admit it, I know they're thankful as well." The young man fidgeted with his armor a moment then sighed. "We'll be heading out soon. We're rendezvousing with a larger force to try and build a fortress using Valtheim Towers as the center." It seemed that he felt uneasy about telling me the imperial's plan but there seemed to be a motive.

"That seems like a very strategic point. Now I'm not one for tactics or anything but those towers serve as a major point between Whiterun and the western holds." Orgnar cut in as he scratched his chin. He was in full support of the empire and interested in their movements. Orgnar had mentioned wanting to join the legion after the bandit raid in order to help defend his home but he also knew that he wouldn't want anyone else running his inn.

"The reason I'm telling is that I was hoping you would accompany us. The leader of our detachment was slain in the fighting a few nights ago. It seems like the others are in bad shape but want to keep moving. Having a priest with us might help boost morale. We could work out details later if you need payment but." The soldier was rambling, trying his hardest to get me to accompany him. I was trying to think of the towers they where mentioning. I remembered going through something that had been overrun with bandits on my way to walk to Winterhold in the game but. If the Empire was going to occupy the area it must mean that it must be cleared?

"I honestly don't know. I'm not one to intentionally put myself in harm's way. I'm kind of a coward to be honest." I said, trying to back out any way that I can without saying no. Even though it had only been a few days I had felt that I was starting to settle down in Riverwood. I hadn't been so afraid, even drank mead for the first time and socialized with the others in the small town.

"That's okay. We're not asking you to fight or anything. Just knowing that we are blessed by Akatosh would be enough to help boost our morale." He sounded desperate as he looked at me with the same pleading eyes that he had the night I first said a blessing.

"Let me pack what few belongings I have. When you move out, let me know." I said with a heavy sigh. I didn't want to at all but if I could help someone and get to know the right people. I might be able to find someone who could help me. I sat up, stretched then went to my room and began to pack my satchel. When I picked up the spell book I realized I had yet to read it. I had been worried that there might be something in there that I wouldn't want to see. Like maybe a time limit I have for existing here. Like I could die after a certain amount of time. Shaking my head I told myself that I would look at it when everything was settled at Valtheim towers or whatever it was called.

After I finished packing I walked out to find Orgnar with a small pack.

"What's that?" I asked with a slight tilt to my head.

"Just some food I prepped up. Figured you could use some rations. I doubt they have anything similar to my cooking at their camps." He said with a laugh.

"Thank you. You've been kind to me." I smiled as I took the pack of food and slung it over my shoulder with my satchel.

"It's not everyday that I get to watch a priest drink himself stupid." He laughed again though he did sound a little sad. Just then the young soldier came back into the inn with another soldier in tow. They both smiled as the told me they where ready to move.

"Lead the way." I did my best to smile back. A few wounded soldiers where still healing but they still wanted to travel anyway? There was maybe four of them who could fight and four more who still needed to recover. I patted the underside of my forearm to make sure my dagger was secure , adjusted my satchel and the pack so they where more comfortable, then followed the two out the door and onto the dangerous roads of Skyrim.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Day 17**

Traveling on the road didn't feel as dangerous as it did before. Maybe it was due to the eight, armed soldiers I had been traveling with. Anyway, it had taken us less than a full day of walking to reach the imperial encampment at the mountain pass. Two large towers where across the river from one another, connected by a bridge. The imperials had a large number of tents and campfires just a little ways away from the towers. There were also two makeshift gates on the road the looked as though it would serve as a starting point for the walls to go around them. It looked like they where going to make walls that connected over to the nearby mountain and stop at the river, a basic looking fort.

After being greeted by drawn swords, it took some time for the group of soldiers to explain their delay and the loss of their captain. As well as explain why I was there.

They where surprised to find that a priest of Akatosh would agree to come to assist in military matters. From what they had been saying I gathered that most priests of Akatosh thought themselves better than others. Was it because the head of the Nine had blessed them? It was something that I don't think I would ever understand.

"Y'know. I never got your name." The young soldier commented as he helped me to set up a tent. We where to meet with the commander of this operation when she returned from scouting.

"It's Darius." I replied using my real name. I figured it would only be useless to try and make a fake name for myself, as I don't think I would ever remember it.

"I'm Yval. Sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner." He extended his hand after we had finished with the tent. "A pleasure to properly meet you." I said with a smile and took his hand. It was refreshing to see such manners in this world. You never saw such introductions or even a hint of manners in the game. Then again that was the game and this was my new reality. After setting up both our tents I was brought to the infirmary area. Apparently both bandits and stormcloaks alike had attacked the group of soldiers. It took all I had not to vomit at the site of the men. Some were missing limbs and others had large gashes across their bodies.

"Darius! Over here." Yval called to me as he knelt before a man who lay on a fur blanket that was coated with blood. "He's lost too much blood. He'll be in Sovngarde soon." The other man seemed to take some comfort in hearing that he would be in the great hall of the Nords. I knelt by the man's side and grimaced at the large wound across his chest. It didn't look fatal at first but I could see scorch marks in the skin around the wound. Either some kind of poison or magic had entered the man's body and looked to be shutting down his internal organs. I bent my head low, my face now covered by my hood and felt a familiar power.

"I ask that you guide this man to Sovngarde. Let him know peace and feel no pain." I prayed and heard that familiar, "your prayer has been heard." The man then closed his eyes and smiled, his chest stopped rising and he sighed one last time.

Hours and many prayers later I found myself on the outside of the camp. I stared at the small stream that flowed down to the river from the mountain. I had never expected things to turn out this way. It had maybe been a little over two weeks since I had been "summoned." I still had yet to look through the book that the mages had used but I didn't think it would help me right now. Maybe after helping the imperial army I would be known to some people where I could talk to court wizards about it? But it would sound crazy trying to explain my situation and who knows what they would do to me. If they believed me it could be worse.

My mind had been busy thinking of all the crude methods that the mages of the college might use to experiment on me when I heard footsteps coming up from behind me. Without thinking I had reached into my sleeves and pulled out my dagger, turning to face the person behind me.

"Careful there!" I heard the familiar voice of Yval, bringing me back from the dark parts of my mind.

"S-sorry." I replied, putting the dagger carefully back in it's sheathe.

"So you're full of surprises." Yval mused as he eyed my sleeve.

"Had it fashioned for me back in Riverwood. Everything alright? How are the wounded holding up?" I asked, worried about the people I had been tending to all afternoon.

"They are doing okay. Most have calmed down and they say their pains is mostly gone as well."

"That's good." I smiled.

"But that's not why I was looking for you. They need a search party to go out and look for the commander. She's been gone much too long. They want to send the four of us that weren't wounded to go looking for her. The other soldiers here are busy with the construction of the fort and gathering resources." He looked very troubled by this idea. "I'm worried, the commander had ten of her best soldiers with her. What are the four of us going to do if something had happened to them?" I looked at him a moment before sighing heavily.

"It looks as though the people in the infirmary are doing okay. I'll go with you and do what I can to help you search for her. It shouldn't take too long and I can return to tending the wounded when I return." I wasn't sure what aid I could offer them but the look on Yval's face told me that I made the right decision. The people of Tamriel are very religious and for a priest to be traveling with them it must be some kind of high honor. "Let me grab my satchel and we will be on our way." Yval nodded as he left to tell the others that where in his group. Why was I putting myself in more danger? Being in an Imperial camp was bad enough, now I was going to venture off with four soldiers to find a rather large scouting group? Maybe this playing priest thing was getting to my head or something. I knew I was not invincible and I did not believe that Akatosh would save me from harm. I swore to myself that I would try not to get myself in harms way again, but I knew better. There was always danger in Skyrim.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Day 18**

It had taken some time for the others to prepare. They had packed large bags with supplies that would last at least two days between the four of them. I felt a little out of place with just my satchel and dagger when I stood next to the four heavily packed and armed men. Maybe it was because Yval knew me a little better than the soldiers in his group but I couldn't quiet place why he would want me to go with them. Or how he was able to get permission for me to go as I now was supposed to report to the doctor in the camp.

It had been only a few hours of walking when we realized that something was wrong. There where no animals, no sounds coming from around us. We could still make out the tower in the distance. Did something happen to the commander this close to the construction site? The others drew their swords as we walked, making the already tense air even more so.

It was strange, like they had always been there but we where unable to see them. Seven people, clad in all black robes appeared out of thin air around the road. Their hands began to glow different colors as they whispered words of power to ready spells. Fear gripped at my heart as my body refused to move. Yval and the others moved more quickly than I would have thought they could, their blades meeting the bodies of the cloaked mages. Each one had caught their attackers off guard and killed them, their blades where colored red when the light shone upon them. The mages had been shocked to have their trapped turn on them but they tried to retaliate. Spells flew around us, the mages' aim being affected by their panic. Yval and the others dodged spells as they could and sunk their blades into the remaining spellcasters. How they had been able to do this and remain calm was beyond me. Maybe it was adrenaline? The possibility of death drove them to try and fight back? Maybe they had trained to fight mages and many other foes when they joined the legion? Many questions racked my mind as I stared at the men in disbelief.

"Darius? Darius!" Yval dropped to his knees and placed a hand on my shoulder. I hadn't even realized that I had dropped to my knees. Had it been out of fear? Dodging magic? I wouldn't know.

"I-I'm alright." I stuttered as I took the hand he offered and brought myself back to my feet. The other three checked the mages' bodies and pulled out a piece of paper from one.

"Yval, we need to head back." Yval just nodded to the man, neither one even reading the paper.

"What's going on?" I asked, very confused. Something wasn't right. How had they reacted so quickly? Had they been expecting the attack? If so then how did they know? So many questions and no answers could be offered.

"Darius. I'll need you to try and forget what you just saw." Yval said rather calmly. He didn't seem like the young soldier that I had been seeing him to be. Rather he looked very stern and his posture was confident. Was this really the same person who had asked me to come here?

"A-alright." I nodded my head and followed slowly as they turned back towards the construction site. What was going on? I tried to remember in the game what something like this might be. The only thing that I could think of was that maybe the Thalmor had something to do with this? Maybe there was more going on than just the commander going missing?

We made it back to the camp by nightfall, I reported to the doctor only to find that there had been no change in the injured. No one had died from their injuries since yesterday and the others seemed to be doing well. I noticed Yval and the other three walk into a large tent on the opposite end of camp, there where two guards clad in what looked to be elven armor from the game. So the Thalmor where involved in all this. Everything happened so fast that day, I couldn't really make sense of it all. How had they reacted so fast? It all seemed so unreal. I came to terms with waking up here but this? I couldn't understand it at all. All I could do was head back to my tent and write about the events that transpired. I might need to reflect back on them. I had originally thought that maybe I could be safe around a group of legion soldiers, but it seems that I may have put myself in even more danger than if I had traveled the roads.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Day 22**

Days had passed since the mage ambush and it was like it never happened. I had helped some soldiers who had been wounded while mining into the nearby mountain. I guess the plan for the fortress was to have a large armory and supply stash carved into the mountain. Rumors where going around that the Valtheim towers were to eventually be a large fortress for the empire. I had begun to wonder exactly at what the empire was planning. More importantly, what the Thalmor where planning.

How had they informed Yval and the other three of the attack on the road? Had they used some magic to enhance their bodies? If so then did that mean that they where Thalmor agents? I knew from the game that the Thalmor had agents everywhere and searched for worshippers of Talos as well as keep an eye on all things. They where even more powerful than the empire and I wondered if maybe it was a wise idea to stay submitted to them.

Windhelm was just a few miles away from here. I could take what I know and tell Ulfric and help the stormcloaks. If Skyrim developed it's independence then maybe there would be a fighting chance against the Aldmeri Dominion.

I shook my head. Such thoughts would end up getting me killed. I was here in the middle of an imperial camp with Thalmor agents and soldiers stationed here. I wouldn't even make it close to Windhelm before soldiers cut me down. If I left I knew they would send someone to tail after me. I'm an unknown in all this and I knew that the Thalmor knew.

Damn, I was making my head hurt just spinning all this around in my head. I needed some air and time away from the injured and dying. I walked out of the ten and to my usual thinking spot near the stream on the outside of camp. Groaning loudly I removed my hood as I sat myself on a rock, checking to make sure I had my knife properly sheathed in my sleeve and staring at the stream. I needed to gather my thoughts and put together all the information I had so far. I knew that I should have just stayed out of this. Stayed back at the inn in Riverwood and not accepted to go with Yval. I tried praying to Akatosh last night but received no answer. I needed answers and all I seemed to be getting where more questions.

Frustrated I picked up a large rock and slammed it into the stream. Water splashed all around and got the lower end of my robe wet.

"Dammit!" I shouted then slumped back down on my rock with a pout. What was I going to do? My whole situation was already confusing. Now add all this political and power struggle drama and things just get even crazier. Was this nightmare ever going to end?! Though I had given up on thinking this was just a dream, I still thought of this as a nightmarish situation.

"Sounds like you're having a bad day." The familiar voice of Yval brought me out of my confusing thoughts.

"Well I have been kept busy the last few days." I retorted, reaching into my satchel and pulling out my water pouch.

"Right, the cave-in and all that." I hadn't even spoken to Yval since the ambush, in fact I had made a point of it to avoid him and the rest of the men that I had arrived here with. There was an awkward silence between the two of us before he turned and began to walk away. "I can understand if you no longer want to be here. But be careful. Skyrim is full of dangers."

Was that a threat? Was he warning me? I had believed this man to be a friendly face but already find that there may be no one I could trust here. I would need to stay even more on my toes now and tread very carefully. I hadn't known him for very long, a few days in fact but still. I had thought that maybe I could have found a friend in this hostile world. I should have known better though.

I laughed at myself with how sappy and pathetic that just sounded when I thought about it. I really needed to get myself adjusted. Being this sentimental was going to eventually get me killed. I sighed heavily, put my hood back on and returned to the medical tent where I helped the surgeon to fix up wounds and bring food to the injured.

Later that night I received my first payment for assisting the empire. I had a hefty coin purse of five hundred pieces. It was much more than I thought it would be for just a short amount of time I had been there. But the surgeon had told me that it was also an advance in hopes I would stay around until the fortress was completed. I asked how long he believed it would take but he said he was unsure. At the progress they where going it would take them a month or two to get the basis of the structure up where they could move their camp within the outer wooden walls. I had then learned that the Imperials planned to make it a multi-leveled fortress. Having an outer wall, inner wall, and keep. The keep was to be held within the mountain like the armory and storehouse. It was to be a grand feat and show the Empire's presence in Skyrim.

I retired to my tent and lay on my cot. I lay there and look up at the tanned roof of the tent, the light fading as the sun went down. I fixed my dagger to be comfortably under my pillow and wrapped myself in the heavy furs I used for blankets. With darkness came colder air and my body was not yet used to the climate of Skyrim. If I got sick it would mean even more trouble for me. No modern medicine to rely on and who knows what someone might put into a potion that would be meant for me. Not even a month after waking up in Skyrim and I've already dug myself into a hole. I was thankful though that I had made it this far. It was much more than I would have expected from myself. I closed my eyes and did my best to get some rest, as I would need every bit of what strength I had in the days to come.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Day 26**

The days continued going by the same. Over a week had passed since the mage ambush, still no sign of the commander or the men who had gone with her. The soldiers where restless and worried yet continued their work on the fortress. I heard from one of the injured men that they had been serving under their commander for years now and where worried that the Thalmor high mage that was there would be placed in charge of the battalion of soldiers.

If the Thalmor had that much influence, was the empire really the better choice for Tamriel? What if alliances could be forged? All races united to fight against the Aldmeri Dominion might have a chance for victory right? But how could the races and lands of Tamriel come together? Was that even possible? I tried to wrack my brain of the many books I had seen in both the oblivion and skyrim games but couldn't think of anything that involved all the races coming together under one banner.

"This is hopeless" I groaned to myself as I retired to my tent and tossed my satchel on the cot. "What am I to do? I can't just-" I stopped myself from speaking any more as I realized that it could be dangerous to speak my mind in an open area surrounded by supporters of both the empire and Aldmeri Dominion. Sighing heavily I sat down and rummaged through my satchel.

When I found what I had been looking for my body began to shake. Many questions swam through my mind, I hoped that this could answer at least some of them. I held in my hands the book I had found when I had first awoken here. The texture of the cover was smooth, like leather but the color was a dark shade of purple, the sign for conjuration on the front of it. I knew the sign as it was on the cover of the oblivion game case. I had always just associated the sign with oblivion but I believed I had seen it as the conjuration symbol in the schools of magic.

I tried hard to stop myself from shaking and slowly opened the book. I was surprised by what I had found. Well, more or less didn't find. Every page in the book was blank.

"What?" I asked out loud in confusion. What was this? I flipped through the book, each page empty as the first. Was this book a fake? Had they taken the actual tome? If so then why was this book on the table with me?

"Great. Even more mysteries." I was getting tired of this and fast. Everything in this world was so confusing and I found no answers at all. "What am I to do?" I closed my eyes and placed my hand over my face. "Akatosh, I need answers. Please assist me." I prayed, hoping something would happen. But just like before, no response from the divine being that apparently had taken note of me. I threw the book back into my satchel in frustration, put it on and stormed out from my tent and right into a soldier.

"Ow, watch where you're going you robe wearing milk-drinker!" A young woman swore as she picked herself back up.

"Me? You're the one skulking around my tent. If you hadn't been that close then I wouldn't have run into you!" I retorted, not in the mood to have someone yell at me. I looked over the women that I had run into. She looked to be a wood elf, wearing what looked like regular leather armor from the game. She was a wood elf, short, slightly slanted eyes and light brown skin. Her pointed ears where made more prominent by the dark brown hair that was tucked behind them then tied in a long ponytail. I had never seen her in camp before and wondered what she must be doing here.

"I wasn't skulking! I was told I could find a priest of Akatosh here. It's rare to find one in skyrim. But I see that you're just as pompous as the rest of them!" With that she stormed off to a different area of the camp that I hadn't noticed before. There where two circles of tents that had many furs draped over them. Two large campfires where in the middle of them, surrounded by men and women with all assortments of armors and weapons. Had the empire hired mercenaries to oversee the protection of this area? Were the soldiers not enough?

I wondered what exactly the leaders of the empire where thinking. Was this area so important? It was then that a thought crossed my mind. I quickly dated back into my tent, pulled out my map and looked at the area around Valtheim towers. This was indeed a valuable position but I wondered what exactly it would mean if a fortress was built here. It was then that I remembered the markers on the maps in the game. The ones that signaled weather an area was empire controlled or stormcloak. If a fortress was built here then it would cut off any stormcloak troops from advancing on empire controlled cities. They would have to go through this fortress first.

I had made up my mind, I gathered what provisions I could in both my satchel and my pack. Went out and refilled my water pouch in the fresh stream and began to walk away from the military camp. I put up my hood and avoided all gazes as I walked past the towers and headed west. I avoided a few soldiers asking me where I was going or what I was doing and continued on. I wondered how long I would last. The Thalmor would surely send someone after me but I needed to get out of there. I had to get to safety, maybe Windhelm. It made sense to me that if I wanted to stay safe from the empire and Thalmor I would need high walls and people around me that hate them. What better place than the capital city of the Stormcloaks.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Day 28?**

"Sir? We're closing soon." I opened my eyes to see a bright red and yellow tiled wall before me. I was laying on a table, a half finished sandwich in my hand. I brought my head up to take in my surroundings. I was in a mcdonalds? How was that possible? Could it really have just been a dream? I reached into my pocket and took out my cell.

"Nine-twenty?" I asked out loud to no one in particular. How had I fallen asleep? My face felt hot when I looked down at the table and saw a rather large puddle of drool. How long had I been sleeping and what had I been dreaming about? I wiped my face and trashed the rest of the meal that had now gone very cold.

I had to get back to my apartment, I had work early in the morning! I wondered if I should look through my phone to see if anyone tried to call me. I had been trying to sell my father's car as I wanted nothing to do with it. He had passed on and I couldn't bring myself to be behind the wheel of his favorite car. I decided against checking my messages and just turned to head out the door, I needed to get home and just fall back asleep. Why was I so tired? I had just slept most of the afternoon right? I groaned as I made my way out of the building and into the heavy falling snow. Wait, but that couldn't be right, wasn't It Spring?

I woke to the sound of squeaking metal. Someone was opening an iron door in front of me but my eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the darkness of the room to make out who it was. My arms felt heavy and my legs numb as I tried to take in the situation. I was chained to a cold stone floor and surrounded my stone walls. I must have been in some kind of tower dungeon? How had I gotten here? What happened? I tried to remember but I only succeeded in making my head hurt worse than it already did.

"I see you're with us again. Good." I recognized the voice from the game, Ulfric Stormcloak! I couldn't bring myself to speak. I couldn't remember how I had ended up here. I could only recall running from a group of mercenaries that had come from the imperial camp. "Times are hard as you can imagine. I can't take risks even from a man who looks like a priest. My men said they trailed some soldiers from the empire and saw that they had been following after you. Tell me why." My eyes had finally adjusted and I could see the man just standing a little ways away from me, two guards just outside the iron bar door.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you my story." I managed to get out. I didn't know what I was to say. This situation seemed hopeless. I was chained and now the leader of the stormcloak rebellion was in front of me. What had I expected to happen? Just walk in and ask for protection from the empire?

"A lot has happened to Skyrim in the past year. Try me." He said with a half-smile. Was he amused by my situation?

"I'm guessing you took my satchel?" He nodded. "My journal is in there. I've kept a record of my time in Skyrim."

"So you want me to read it? I've got an army to lead and a land that needs to be taken back. You think I have time to read your little story?" I had never chosen to side with the stormcloaks in the game so I didn't have an idea of how Ulfric really was. Technically during the war you never see how the leaders really are. Just glimpses.

"It has information about the Thalmor!" I shouted as he turned to leave. He spun on me more quickly than I could have imagined, a knife pressed to my throat.

"What do you know of the Thalmor?! Are you a spy?!" He shouted .His face contorted in rage and eyes shone with rage. It took a few minutes for me to convince him I wasn't a spy as it was hard from me to explain anything with the way his knife was cutting into my neck.

"J-just read my journal. I believe they are doing something to the empire's soldiers." I was able to get out as he removed the blade from my neck.

"I will read it. But if there is any reason to believe that you may be a spy then I will come back and remove your head myself!" He growled as he left and slammed the door shut.

I don't know how much time had passed. They brought me food and drink periodically and I was able to drift in and out of sleep. It felt like a few days had passed before Ulfric Stormcloak returned to the cell.

"Your story is interesting. I don't believe more than half of it but the accounts of your time in their camp and their possible plans gives me an idea of what could be happening." He said with a slight smile as he knelt beside me. "I don't think you would have told me about the journal if you where a spy." He unlocked the metal around my wrists then helped me stand. "I do not really trust you. Your writings seem like that of a mad-man and I cannot have you loose in Skyrim. You will stay at the candlehearth hall where one of my soldiers will keep an eye on you. I will call on you again in time." Without another word he dropped my satchel before me and walked out of the room. Ulfric Stormcloack scared me more than I thought he would. He had helped me up but was quick to drop my things on the ground. Maybe I read more into it than I should have but I personally believed that this man was even more insane than I was. I would need to tread carefully while in this city, but I was thankful that I was alive.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Day 30**

It was early morning when the slamming on my door started. I tried to hide myself under the many furs that covered me. A childish act but still somewhat comforting to me. When I had thought that maybe the person would give up I heard a very deep and gruff voice from behind the door.

"Jarl Ulfric requests your presence! If you do not come within the hour it will be taken as an act of treason!" With that the man seemed to stomp off.

"Treason? I'm not even a stormcloak!" I groaned to myself as I sat up and stretched. My body popped and cracked as I tried to get dressed in my robes and put the strap to my satchel over my shoulder. This area was much colder than the other parts of Skyrim and my body was paying for it. It had been almost a month and my body was hardly used to the weather at all. Maybe it had been because I was used to weather in Florida and Ohio. Both places I had lived in regularly throughout my life. But this frozen land was nothing at all what my body knew but I would need to keep moving anyway. "I'll get used to it eventually." I muttered as I walked out to the commons area of the inn and sat down to order some water, bread, and pheasant breast. A filling breakfast as I had a feeling I wouldn't get many chances to relax that day. I took note of the familiar area as I ate. I had slept most of yesterday so I hadn't taken much stock in the people around me but now I could see familiar faces from the game. I didn't really remember any names but if I stayed here long enough I figured I could get to know at least one person here.

After finishing my meal I paid for my room for the next few nights then headed out to the palace of the kings where Ulfric would be waiting for me. The cold air bit into my skin as I walked out of the candlehearth inn. Dark clouds blotted out the sun as a light wind began to pick up. Though high walls surrounded the city, the most that people would have to worry about is the heavy snowfall. That's what I though at least. Did people shovel or move the snow away somehow? Maybe have a mage melt some of it? I laughed to myself as the thought of a mage walking through the snow using flame magic popped into my head.

I was greeted at the large gates to the palace of kings by two large guards. Their faces where hidden by their helmets, making their appearances a little more menacing that I thought they would be. They led me in where I was seated at the large table that was before Ulfric's throne.

"Ah, there you are." He greeted me with a smile and a spread of his arms as if in hospitality. What was with this man? Had he changed his opinion of me so quickly? "I wanted your account of something." He sat down on his throne and his general sat across the table from me. He was quick to get right to the point.

"What can I help with?" I asked as I leaned on the empty table. I remembered in the game how there was always food on the table but I guessed that the stormcloak leaders didn't always feast.

"I want to hear about your account with these 'enchanted' soldiers." He asked with a serious face.

I recalled the event where the soldiers where able to quickly dispatch a mage ambush before I could even register what was going on. I added that I had seen them walk into the Thalmor supervisor's tent after we had returned from the skirmish. " You believe that the Thalmor had done something to enchant these soldiers?" He asked.

"I'm not certain but I believe that they had some hand in what I had witnessed. As you probably read from my journal. They plan to use the Valtheim towers as a foundation for a multi-tiered fortress."

"I read that and sent a few scouts to the towers yesterday. The arrived early this morning and confirmed what you had written about. It was what confirmed my suspicions that you weren't a spy and allowed you to be alive right now." He said in a scarily calm manner. I could have been dead this morning? I would have just never woken up? I sighed heavily and did my best to not shake as I sat there.

"Do you plan to do something? If they set up that fortress it would cut you off from a majority of Skyrim." I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"There are always other routes around the mountains. They would likely expect an attack on the site and I would rather not risk the lives of my brothers and sisters walking into a trap." I had taken the man for being rather rash and headstrong in the game but maybe he was more of a tactician than I thought. "Besides, I can't exactly share anything specific with you. You aren't a stormcloak and you where just recently in the company of our enemies." His eyes pierced through me as he stated the last part. With a wave of his hand he dismissed me and two guards came to escort me out.

The snow had picked up and was now falling heavily on Windhelm. I made my way quickly to the tavern and found my way to my room. "He's planning something. Is he going to attack while they are building? Or wait this out and use other routes across the mountains." I realized that I was talking out loud to myself and immediately shut my mouth. If the snow let up by tomorrow then I would offer my assistance to Ulfric and his cause. If I could get some protection against the Thalmor and the empire then I would take anything I could get. But then again they might send me to the front lines! I sighed heavily and sat on my bed. There was plenty of time left in the day today but the snow put down any possibilities of going out around the town. I had plenty of gold left from the time I spent in the imperial camp and I needed to restock on some things. My dagger had been taken from me and so I needed another and I would also need some more dried food like fruit, potatoes, leaks. Something I could keep in my pack for on the road. I also needed more ink as the things I've been writing are becoming less and less eligible. I would have to wait until the snow slowed down though. Would be bad luck to get sick now.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Day 35**

Two days the snow fell. On the third I was finally able to stretch my legs and walk around the city. It was much different than I remembered from the game. Then again, I had never really been around the city in the game. I hadn't even done the dark brotherhood quests that I had heard started with some kid here in the city. While going around and restocking on some things I learned that Ulfric moved a majority of the garrison that was in the city. Where to and what they where doing Ulfric was keeping it quiet. Maybe he didn't want it getting out should a spy hear it? I wondered if maybe he should leak out a false location to steer away any kind of suspicion?

As the hammer hit the anvil my body tensed and I snapped out of my thoughts.

"The name's Oengul. There something I can do for you?" The gruff old man didn't break a beat in his hammering but still turned his head to me periodically.

"I'm looking to make an order. Two things to be exact." I specified about the design of the sheathe that I had previously to conceal under my sleeve and how I would like the dagger to be made of steel and strengthened above regular standards.

"That's a hefty order. I assume you have the gold to pay for the materials I would need?" I handed him the purse he had asked for. "Good enough. I believe I can have it done for you within four days." He then stopped hammering and put that large piece of metal to rest in the hot forge. After writing something down on a piece of paper he turned back to his work. I smiled in content as I moved on and bought some extra food to last me some time. I had been confined to my room the past couple days but I found that it would prove more useful than walking around the inn and possibly being spied on. Maybe Ulfric was rubbing off on me more than I thought. He always thought there where spies in every little crack on the ground, or that's the way he came off as. He reminded me of a conspiracy theorist back in my old world.

The air was cold and was getting difficult to breathe in. I looked up and noticed that the sky was beginning to turn dark again, another snowfall was coming. I looked around and noticed the guard behind me a couple feet. It was the first time I noticed that I was being followed, had he been there the whole time? Ulfric did say that I was going to be monitored. Did he really think I might be part of the empire even though I had been running from them? I sighed heavily and decided to return to the inn and think about what I could do next.

The next day went by fast as I had woken up late and fallen back asleep when the sun set. I had spent the few hours that I was awake eating and contemplating. I had decided to not join the stormcloaks as it would risk being sent to the frontlines. I didn't want anything more to do with this war. Already it had caused me more trouble than I wanted and I was still no closer to any kind of answers to what was going on. I made the decision to get back on my original goal in finding out about these summoners and why I would have been brought here.

I woke on the fifth day with a tired groan. There seemed to be a lot of bustle around the inn that day. People where rushing around and yelling. Was someone drunk and trying to start a fight again? I brought myself out my bed, got dressed in my usual robes and opened the door a bit. Right as I opened the door someone went flying into it, sending me backwards and back on my bed.

"What the hell?!" I shouted, getting back to my feet as fast as I could. The man that was on the floor of my room was lying still, a liquid seeping onto the wooden floor. He had been stabbed! I looked out the door and noticed there where others fighting. It looked to me as if some of the dark elves had taken action against those whom had been harassing them. I got up and closed the door as fast as I could, turned to the wounded man and sat him up against the bottom of the bed. He was unconscious but still breathing. I tore off a part of his sleeve and pressed it into his wound. He didn't move but his face was contorted in pain.

After applying pressure to the wound I said a small prayer to Akatosh. I felt the familiar surge of power in my hands but heard no voice. Was he no longer talking to me? Had I done something? He still helped me heal the man so I figured I shouldn't be picky and just continued to hold my hands near the man's wound.

After the fighting seemed to subside when the guards burst into the inn, I opened the door and informed a guard of what happened. They took the man out of my room and brought him to the palace of kings where he would be questioned about the events of what happened after he healed. That's what they told me anyway.

After the events of the day I sat back in my chair while trying to eat the food I had ordered. I had heard about the racism that the stormcloaks had against those who weren't nords but it was bad enough for a small riot like this? There was news that the docks had also been set in an uproar. Argonians and dark elves had overpowered the guards, taken their weapons and sought revenge on the individuals who had hurt them. I wondered how Ulfric would react to this, would he make things worse for those that took matters into their own hands? Or would he ignore the whole thing and just concentrate on the war? Maybe he would just claim they where all spies and have them locked up or put to death. I had a hard time reading Ulfric in the few times I had seen him, he seemed to be an unstable kind of person.

After finishing my meal I retired to my room early. The blood had been cleaned from the floor and the inn had recovered pretty quickly from the violent acts that had taken place inside it. Was something like this normal for these people? I had to leave the city soon, there was too much chaos here and it made me even more on edge than I normally was.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Day 39**

It's been almost a month now since I had awoken in the world of Tamriel. I've been through some intense things so far and I'm really surprised I have been able to survive this long. I never would have thought that I would be seeing the sun rise each day. That first night I had spent outside of the ruins was terrifying and each day forward I had been afraid of not waking up at all when I lay my head to sleep. I still have that fear but there are times when I can relax a little. But I was wanted by the empire and thalmor, the stormcloaks believed I was a spy, and I had no leads on any group of summoners or mages.

I settled back against the headboard as I stared at the door to my room. I had been able to pay for my room and eat comfortably but I was running out of gold and chopping wood could only get me so far. Luckily for me most inns in Skyrim supposedly paid for the labor of others to get their firewood. It made me wonder why so many people went in debt for not paying for their drinks. Why didn't they just go out, chop some wood and have it be even?

It was foolish of me to try and think about what others do or how they think about things. I needed to concentrate on the task ahead. I already picked up my dagger and sheathe as well as some more supplies that could last me a few days on the road. I opened up my map and spread it across the bed. I needed to find a route that could lead me to a place to hide out for a time. I needed to be out of this city, not just for the fact that I was under careful watch by the stormcloaks but it seemed to me that tensions here in the city where reaching their peaks.

I looked over the map and cursed my luck. I knew that there was a village at the base of the Throat of the World but it wasn't marked on my map. I couldn't remember the name of the village either so asking around would be pointless. I believed I knew the general area where it could be though and so I could just need to get around there and I was sure I would be able to see it. I lightly circled the spot I thought it was and waited for the ink to dry before rolling back up the map and stuffing it in my satchel. The village should be relatively safe enough from the war going on. I hoped so anyway.

After checking through my supplies I summed up that I could make these last around four days if I was careful. The biggest problem I could foresee would be bandits on the roads. I had always known the game to be famous for the abundance of bandits throughout the land of Skyrim. I would need to tread carefully if I were going to avoid any while I traveled.

As I set out early morning I noticed that there where a few others on the same road as I. They where four Khajiit that carried large packs and carts. I caught up to them and assured them I was no threat when they drew their weapons.

"I haven't traveled much myself and was wondering if you might allow me to travel with you a while?" I asked but regretted it as I realized how travelers and merchants must be about allowing others with them. It would mean adding another person's troubles onto theirs and adding more risk to the already dangerous roads.

"Where are you headed traveler?" A female Khajiit with black fur came forward.

"I'm headed in the direction of Riften. I'm trying to reach a village just near the pass that brings me to the throat of the world but I can't recall the name of the village." I remembered this group as a Khajiit caravan so I knew it would be okay to tell them my destination. I remembered in the game there where three caravan'' in total but I couldn't remember which one this was.

"Ah, we know of the place you speak of. Now I am going to ask why you would want to travel with us?" She asked. The others looked nervously around them and at me.

"There is safety in numbers. I don't ask that I be taken care of. I can pull my own weight, even carry a cart if you wish. I just don't want to travel Skyrim alone." I realized I must have sounded like a helpless child as the Khajiit gave me a sympathetic look. Had they traveled alone before and wished to travel with another? What where their histories? I had never really looked them up other than to try and find their routes online so I knew nothing about them.

"We are heading to Riften. There is a split in the road that will lead you to the village that you are searching for. We can travel together as far as that split." She turned to the others and nodded. They all nodded back and moved their goods to the side of the road and motioned me over.

"It would only be rude to travel the weary roads of skyrim and not know one another." A male Khajiit explained as he put down his pack. He wore heavy plate armor and had a steel mace strapped to his belt. His fur was black and silver, a unique blend of colors on fur.

"I am Darius. A stranger to these lands but new to traveling." I bowed my head slightly and smiled. Not sure if that introduction sounded strange. It had sounded better in my head.

"I am Kharjo a guard for this caravan." He bowed his head back as another came up. This one had gray fur with some black stripes and had light armor with steel plates on it.

"I am Dro'marash I suppose you could also count me as a guard for the caravan." He bowed his head then turned to another khajiit who was covered in black and dark brown fur. Her clothes where those that merchants wore in the game with a dark blue tint. "This is Zaynabi. She doesn't speak much unless she really trusts you. Which is no one." Dro'marash added the last part with a sad look. Did he have something for her? If so then he was really bad at hiding his feelings.

"I am Ahkari. Head of this caravan." The black Khajiit I had first spoken to bowed her head and smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you Darius. Now, we should continue moving. It would be best to make as much distance as we can before nightfall." She motioned to the others to resume their labors in carrying things and continue walking. I adjusted my own packs to a more comfortable position and followed behind them.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Day 40**

"Look out!" Flames coated the road as the group dove out of the way. Kharjo, the heavily armored Khajiit, had been a little too slow. He rolled over next to me and panicked a little as his tail had caught flame. I rushed closer to him and pat his tail down with my robe and hands. The flames burnt my hands slightly but I forced myself to ignore then pain and focus on the large creature that was circling over head.

"They had never hunted on the roads before!" Kharjo cried as we moved farther away from the road. We ducked in a group of trees and watch as the carts burned. "They will be okay." Kharjo said, probably more to himself than me. "We need to be moving. Else we will end up the beasts' lunch." Kharjo winced then turned to make his way along the tree line. I followed after him and kept my eyes on the sky. The dragon continuously circled the area we had been in, crying out in a terrifying roar.

We followed the tree line while cautiously watching the dragon and looking out for the others. I watched as the dragon renewed the line of fire along the road each time it began to die out. The cloth of the robes I wore felt uncomfortable as they clung to me. Sweat began to pour off my face as the flames continued to lower and rise.

"We need to get across somehow." I heard Kharjo say as he stopped to catch his breath. Smoke was spreading around us as the trees had now caught fire. I looked up at the dragon that circled us and I could judge from its size that it must be an old one. Maybe it was an ancient dragon like in the game? Those mainly showed up when the dragonborn was a higher level to fight them. But then again, this wasn't the game. It was as I was looking at the dragon that a loud sound could be heard. A burst of energy, what looked like a large blue stream burst into the dragon. With a shriek the creature fell to the ground, tossing and turning within it's own flame.

Kharjo and I stayed rooted to the spot as we watched the dragon inhale and suck all the fire on the ground into it and get back to it's feet. Its scales were emanating a faint blue that beat in tune to my heartbeat. It let out an enraged roar before speaking in a tongue I couldn't understand. I assumed it was the language of the dragons but unlike in the game, the tone in which the dragon's voice had made it almost impossible for me to understand it. As it was speaking it let out a cry of pain, three arrows had hit its muzzle and left eye.

I looked around to see who must have shot the arrows, had one of the caravan members got hold of a bow? Where they okay?! While I had been looking around I didn't notice the figure that appeared atop the dragon's back until they had delivered a blow to the dragon. From where I was I could see that the figure was slim, hooded and armored in what looked like dragon scale from the game. I had a hunch on who the person was but my suspicions where confirmed when the dragon bellowed a very audible "Dovahkiin!"

The figure continued to slash away at the back of the creature with their two menacing swords then proceeded up it's back and to its neck. The dragonborn delivered the final blow with a downward stab into the area where the dragon's head meets the neck. With one final cry the dragon fell to the ground, dead.

The dragonborn dropped to the ground, placed their hand on the dragon's head and bowed their own. It was something I hadn't ever seen in the games but it was surprising to see. The dragonborn seemed to have a love for the dragons and I wondered weather or not they wanted to kill the dragon. The air suddenly changed around us. The dragon's body began to burn away as the air was sucked into it. As the body finished burning away the air was suddenly dispersed and guided to the dragon born. A flurry of colors coated the dragonborn's body as the soul of the dragon was absorbed into them.

The dragonborn raised their head and looked around, with a nod they sheathed their swords then held up a stone. It looked almost like a soulstone but it was hard to tell from the distance Dharjo and I stood away from them. The dragonborn crushed the stone and was covered in black mist before disappearing completely. I had never seen anything like that in the game! Where had they gone? Why did they leave suddenly? Luckily for me though I had glimpsed something about the dragonborn that gave away their race. I had seen a fuzzy tail protruding from the backside of the armored person. While I wasn't able to discern the sex of the dragonborn I was able to tell that they where a Khajiit.

"So she's alive after all." I heard Kharjo whisper next to me before a smile formed on his furry face.

(Author's note: Will work on the length of my posts. I also want to inform all my readers that I keep my profile updated with my progress and status on things. I hope everyone will continue reading and enjoy my writing! Thank you to everyone for the positive feedbacks. I will continue writing and improving myself!)


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Day 55**

Flames ate hungrily at the dry timber that was placed within the circle of rocks. The campfire lit up the cave walls, making every crack and chipped piece visible. It also made any protruding rocks look more menacing as their shadows cast grizzly images. I stared at the flames in silence, the others around me did the same. Where do I begin? I guess I should start on the day things went from bad to worse.

After the dragonborn had disappeared, Kharjo and I had scanned the area for the others. We made our way across the road where the supplies had been burned. The area looked clean to me but Kharjo had found the spot where they had rolled out of the way.

"So Ahkari and the others are still alive?" I had asked as he pointed out the dirt and moved rocks.

"I'm not sure. They went this way." I followed after him while he continuously examined the ground and area around us. We went on for a few minutes before Kharjo inhaled sharply and fell to his knees near some large rocks. I went to his side to see what he was looking at and gasped. Dro'marash lay on the ground with his own sword plunged into his back. I looked around and noticed two other bodies, they looked to be bandits. One a rather large orc and the other looked like it was a nord woman. I didn't see Zaynabi or Ahkari though and hope coursed through me.

"Bandits or slavers. I don't know but it looks like they took Ahkari and Zaynabi." I knelt by Kharjo and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We need to try and save them. I don't know how you have these tracking skills but you need to use them so we can find where they are." He raised his head to look at Dro'marash's body and nodded.

Kharjo had agreed that we needed to find them and pulled himself together. We had searched the bodies for any kind of sign of where they could be based at and also for ay kind of supplies they might have had. We found some food and water pouches in a backpack that a bandit had been clinging to. Also lucky for us there had been a note that updated their group on a guard shift in a place called Mistwatch. It was a fort that overlooked much of the area between Riften and Windhelm. In fact on the map it looked like it was right in the middle of it.

A fit of coughing had interrupted my writing. I gave my pouch of water to Zaynabi who eagerly accepted it. It was probably best that she had interrupted my writing. I'm not sure exactly that I wanted to write down what Kharjo and I had found inside of the fortress. It had been home to a group of bandits and slavers. But something else had moved in.

Zaynabi had started to talk to me as we watched over the fire. She told me of her past and how she had come to join the others in their venture to Skyrim.

"I had been a trader before this. Not just any trader mind you, one that sold and bought stolen goods." Zaynabi looked at the flames as she spoke. I could tell that she wasn't used to speaking to other people as she struggled to find certain words and couldn't look at me at all. "It was, difficult for me to live that way though. I had been constantly dodging the guards and even the army at one point." She sighed heavily then tossed a few twigs into the fire. Kharjo groaned in his cot behind us. I did not think that the potion we had given him must not have worked all the way. "I will check on him." Zaynabi said as she stretched and went to his side. He had taken a deep hit that probably would have killed most but he had been lucky. He had avoided internal bleeding and being stabbed in anywhere vital. However, he would probably not wield a weapon the same.

It had taken us days to try and figure out a way into the castle. But by the time we had worked things out, our plans had changed drastically when we where inside. The good news for me though is I believe I have a lead on the conjurers that brought me here. The bad news is that I would need to go back to Mistwatch keep in order to find anything new out.

"D-Darius!" I heard Kharjo cry out to me. I had dropped the stick I had been fiddling with and went to his side. He clutched his shoulder and tried to sit up.

"No Kharjo. You must lay down." Zaynabi placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to convince him to lay back down. Kharjo reluctantly agreed and lay back down, his face twisted with pain.

"W-where is Ahkari? Wasn't she with us?!" He tried to look around the small cave we where in but seemed to only confuse himself more. "How did we get here?"

"I found the cave while we where running. With the storm outside it would be almost impossible for anything to follow us." I tried to reassure him but it only made him panic more.

"Storm? Darius, where is Ahkari. We rescued both of them right?" He was confused. More so than I would have originally thought. He was brave to take on those things and I was surprised to see him alive at all and out of the castle just hours later.

"Ahkari is-. She didn't-." Zaynabi couldn't finish the sentence as she knelt by Kharjo's side.

"At least, we got you out Zaynabi." Kharjo let tears fall down his face as he lay his head down again and closed his eyes. I rose, returned to the fire, and took my seat on the warm rocks by the fire. There was a small crevice the lead to a little 'hallway' that led back outside. I could hear the storm rage on as we all huddled here in the cave. We had some supplies left that would maybe last us a day or so and that was only if the storm lasted that long.

After looking over my journal again I realized I had yet to fill in the rest of the last few days. We had been running for some time. Creatures poured out of Mistwatch keep and began to follow us. Where the others had been going I didn't know. Some looked to be undead, like zombies from previous games. Not the draugr that you normally see if Skyrim but the groaning and limping hunks of meat you saw in a game like Oblivion.

The only reason I knew that the conjurers might have been involved is that I had found another empty spellbook with the same symbol on it. I had gathered that maybe after the spell within the book was used the book no longer held any power in it. Meaning that there could be a chance that I could trace what kind of power was in the book if I could get to the college of Winterhold or find a master mage that wasn't hostile.

Fatigue reared its ugly head as I continue to stare at the fire and occasionally write. Zaynabi was already asleep and Kharjo finally asleep as well. I would need to keep first watch. Even with the storm I was still wary of the constant dangers of Skyrim. I would sleep eventually, but I figured I should let those two get some rest and have a break from their grief and pain. There was too much on my mind to sleep anyway, I believed I was coming close to**some** answers but here where still many questions.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Day 56

Another day in the cave had left us with fewer supplies. Zaynabi had used the last of our potions to try and ease Kharjo's pain and there wasn't anymore ingredients for her to make anymore. The storm was still raging outside as we kept huddled inside the cave. I had gathered up the courage to squeeze out of the crack that was the entrance to the room we where in and into the small hall like cavern that lead outside. I watched as the snow fell on the land of Skyrim, thinking back to the day I had firt awoken. I was still no closer to knowing why I had been brought here or what those conjurers had been trying to summon. I wanted to recall their words or their voices to maybe give me some clues as to what their race could be but I couldn't recall anything.

The snow continued to fall as I kept watch over the land around the entrance to the cave. Zaynabi had continued to keep watch over Kharjo. If the storm continued on into tomorrow then one of us would need to brave the storm to try and find more supplies to make a potion or something that could ease his pain. He had suffered many injuries but the major one had almost severed his arm.

I cursed myself as I turned to head back into the room. He had gotten hurt trying to defend Ahkari and I. Even after that I couldn't save Ahkari from being taken by those "things." I wondered now what was happening out there. There was the war between the empire and stormcloaks, the threat of the Aldmeri Dominion and now some kind of menace had been unleashed on the land. Riften and Windhelm would be in the most immediate danger.

The last few days had been a nightmare and I believed that the future would hold worse things. The events at Mistwatch Keep had kept me from any real sleep the night before. Kharjo and I had planned to rescue Ahkari and Zaynabi then leave and take refugre in Riften. But it is believed that someone summoned something inside the Keep that created more monstrosities. A blank book had been found in the main room where prisoners had been kept. It held the conjuration symbol and had the same binding as the book I had found near me when I had first arrived. Why had it been there though? Had the conjurers been there? Where they now dead?

After squeezing my way back into the room I set a few more logs onto the fire and sat down. Zaynabi had fallen asleep on her cot near Kharjo, they looked like they would have been cute together as a couple. I found it funny that I would think about something like that. Given all that was going on in this world though it was something of a more cheerful thought. Maybe they would get together by the end of all this, if we all lived through everything that is.

I watched the fire for some time before bringing out my journal and reviewed my time in Skyrim. I smiled a little when I caught up to my most recent writing. I was lucky to be a live through everything I had been through so far. Was it luck though or was something else going on. I had tried praying to Akatosh many times and even asked for a blessing to heal Kharjo but it seems my prayers are falling on deaf ears. I had believed that maybe I had been blessed with some form of restoration magic but it seems that I can only work minor "miracles" when my prayers where answered. Was I not believing enough? Was I doing something wrong now? Maybe I had done something to anger Akatosh? There where too many things going on around me and unless I wrote it down in a journal I don't believe that I could make sense of any of it. The nine divines, the daedra, magic, wars and much more. These things had all been foreign to me in my world. Something I had only experienced in the elder scrolls game series that I had played and movies I had watched. None of that though could have ever prepared me for it all to become reality. War and strife where in my world but nothing I had experienced first hand.

Nothing had really happened today. But hopefully tomorrow will bring better events. We needed something for Kharjo and I only prayed that this storm would let up so we could venture out. Maybe find some help or get Kharjo to Riften if we could. Being behind walls would make me feel a little safer than just simply hiding out in a cave and hoping nothing stumbles in.

(Author's note: updates are posted on my profile. Please read to stay tuned on details about my writing.)


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